2 hikers rescued after falls along the icy Appalachian Trail Follow Us Question of the Day By - Associated Press - Monday, February 22, 2021 BIG ISLAND, Va. (AP) - Two separate hikers braving the icy conditions fell while traveling along the Appalachian Trail in Virginia and were rescued Saturday, officials said. The longer rescue took approximately nine hours and happened on the trail near Big Island and the James River Foot Bridge in Bedford County. A Facebook post from Virginia Division III Technical Rescue Team said the hiker fell down a snow and ice covered portion of the “mountainside at least 250 feet (76 meters).” The hiker had injuries to his legs, face and was suffering from hypothermia.